Comparison of the potential short and long term benefits of the use of a continuous popliteal nerve block compared to a single shot technique in patients undergoing surgical repair of ankle fractures

Comparison of the effects of single or continuous popliteal nerve block on post-operative outcome measures in patients undergoing operative repair of ankle fracture: a randomised controlled double-blind trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN96057529

Enrollment

Registered

2009-10-01

Start date

2009-08-17

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Surgical repair of ankle fracture Surgery Post-surgical pain

Interventions

Single shot popliteal nerve block followed by randomisation to receive either a continuous popliteal nerve block using 0.125% levobupivacaine or placebo infusion. For each patient, in hospital follo

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) class I - III 2. Patients able to give written informed consent 3. Patients awaiting operative repair of an ankle fracture 4. Aged between 18 - 80 years, either sex

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. History of an allergy to any of the medications used in the study 2. Pregnancy 3. Local infection at site of nerve blockade 4. Any form of neurological dysfunction in lower limbs 5. Patients suffering from severe hypotension such as cardiogenic or hypovolaemic shock or with a serious cardiac arrhythmia

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Reduction in the incidence of chronic ankle pain at three months post-procedure	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Post-operative morphine usage assessed at designated times in the post-operative period: one hour after surgery before leaving the recovery area and at 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 30, 36 and 48 hours after the procedure 2. Time to first mobilisation, recorded at time to first mobilisation 3. Difference in pain scores in both the post-operative period and on first mobilisation assessed at designated times in the post-operative period: one hour after surgery before leaving the recovery area and at 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 30, 36 and 48 hours after the procedure and on first mobilisation 4. Total length of hospital stay, recorded from the day of admission to day of discharge 5. Patient satisfaction assessed at the end of the 48 hour post-operative period using the 40-item quality of recovery (QoR-40) questionnaire	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Post-operative morphine usage assessed at designated times in the post-operative period: one hour after surgery before leaving the recovery area and at 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 30, 36 and 48 hours after the procedure 2. Time to first mobilisation, recorded at time to first mobilisation 3. Difference in pain scores in both the post-operative period and on first mobilisation assessed at designated times in the post-operative period: one hour after surgery before leaving the recovery area and at 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 30, 36 and 48 hours after the procedure and on first mobilisation 4. Total length of hospital stay, recorded from the day of admission to day of discharge 5. Patient satisfaction assessed at the end of the 48 hour post-operative period using the 40-item quality of recovery (QoR-40) questionnaire

—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026